The Plumbing Crisis at Shugsep Nunnery

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Happy news! The nuns’ prayers are answered! Thanks to the generosity of some donors, this big job is fully funded. We will report back as soon as possible.

Imagine if all the pipes in and around your home were leaking and you had to replace them.

This is the shocking situation facing the nuns at Shugsep Nunnery and Institute.

The underground water pipes installed during construction in 2008 have become severely corroded, are leaking, and causing dampness in the nuns’ rooms.

Plumbing Crisis at Shugsep Nunnery Feb 2025

The nuns at Shugsep are trying to repair the leaking pipe themselves but need outside help.

The nuns and the Khenpo (abbot) have been trying to solve the problem themselves. They have been digging up the pipes in various places to try to fix them. Sadly, they have discovered that even replacing broken union joints is impossible because of the corroded pipes. They need your help!

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Shugsep repairing leaking pipes

Nuns are working hard to access and repair the pipes, but it’s a massive job. The plumbing throughout the nunnery must be replaced with good-quality PVC pipes.

In light of these problems, there is no choice but to replace the pipe system throughout the nunnery with good-quality PVC pipes. To do this big plumbing job, they need to hire outside people. To complete the supply line to the overhead tank, the work must be done by an experienced plumber and outside workers.

The total cost is $12,000.

In the meantime, the nuns are trying to find solutions to keep the plumbing system running smoothly but they need your help. Learn more and donate here.

Your gift will:
1. Provide good-quality PVC pipes with unions, bends, and sockets
2. Pay for plumbing labour costs
3. Fund the excavation and the repair of paving where necessary
4. Repair the plumbing in the teachers’ section and guesthouse

The Shugsep nuns gathered for prayers to aid with their leaking pipes and plumbing issues.

The Shugsep nuns held a special puja to pray for help with their leaking pipes and plumbing issues.

Investing in the Future of Humanity

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This is a special blog post by Steve Wilhelm, a Tibetan Nuns Project board member since 2008, a dharma teacher, and editor of Northwest Dharma News.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns with His Holiness the Dalai Lama 2013

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking to Tibetan Buddhist nuns from India and Nepal, after they debated in front of him during the annual inter-nunnery debate in 2013. Photo by Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL

When I first arrived at Dolma Ling Nunnery in 2014, on my first visit there, I heard distant shouts in the night air.

Looking east, I saw lights against the dark sky and assumed it was a soccer game or something similar somewhere just outside the nunnery. Being a curious sort I went to investigate, and to my surprise found not a lively athletic event but 40 to 50 nuns vigorously engaged in debate.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns debating at Dolma Ling Nunnery by Steve Wilhelm

Daily practice in monastic debate is critically important in traditional Tibetan Buddhist learning. Photo of Tibetan Buddhist nuns debating at Dolma Ling Nunnery by Steve Wilhelm.

Outdoors in the fall air, under metal canopies funded by donors from around the world, the nuns energetically debated subtle points about the very nature of reality. In groups of three or four, a standing nun would challenge one sitting in what was obviously brilliant repartee.

Debate practice is a central part of Buddhist practice in this tradition. In this, the nuns study a concept or text in the morning and then debate it later in the day.

A central and vivid quality of what I saw that night, and in many other encounters during this visit and a later one in 2017, was the energy and determination of the nuns.

Many times I’d encounter a nun late at night, studying under the light of an outdoor walking path light. Often they were sitting on the ground and hunched over a text, memorizing or reciting.

Two Tibetan Buddhist nuns studying together. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

In this way, these nuns were taking advantage of the precious opportunity they have for spiritual growth, which includes growing in the capacity to benefit others.

Investing in the Future of Humanity

It was just this dedication and the potential for these nuns to benefit many beings far into the future, which inspired me to leave a bequest for the Tibetan Nuns Project in my will.

Supporting the future of the Tibetan Nuns Project, and in turn nurturing the future of the nuns that the Tibetan Nuns Project supports, seems one of the best possible investments in the future of humanity.

The world is in a perilous condition here in 2025, with too many national leaders, almost exclusively male, filled with too much hubris around power and strength.

Steve Wilhelm and the Tibetan Buddhist nun he and his partner Ellen sponsor

Steve and Dechen, the nun he and his wife Ellen sponsor. “Dechen embodies the nuns’ promise for the future and wants to become a Geshema,” says Steve. Photos by Steve Wilhelm

By comparison, these nuns are deeply dedicated to spiritual practice, to refining themselves in a perfection of ethics, kindness, and wisdom. These are qualities deeply needed in this compromised era. These nuns will set an example, a standard, for generations to come and especially for future young people.

In addition, it simply seems that we need more women in leadership in every aspect of society, to bring more compassion into decisions of global import. The growing number of Buddhist nuns around the world is a key part of that empowerment, and the Tibetan Nuns Project has been a leader in this work.

The Tibetan Nuns Project has supported nuns in their education and their practice, and in their attaining Geshema degrees, the monastic equivalent of a doctorate degree.

A Geshema nun practicing retreat at hut at Dolma Ling photo by Steve Wilhelm

A Geshema nun practicing in a retreat hut at Dolma Ling. The Geshema degree is the highest level of training in the Gelug tradition and was only formally opened to women in 2012. Photo by Steve Wilhelm.

These Geshema degrees put the nuns on an equal footing with the most educated male monastics and empower them to teach other nuns in the future. The difference is a profound transformation, ending 1,200 years of sexist bias in which only male monastics could reach this highest level of accreditation.

Added up, these factors are why my wife Ellen and I have dedicated a portion of our legacy, in my will, to the Tibetan Nuns Project.

Tibetan Nuns Project board of directors in 2017

The Tibetan Nuns Project’s 2017 board of directors had an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the 30th anniversary celebrations. Steve is on the right.

I’ve served on the board of the Tibetan Nuns Project since 2008 because it’s been continually clear just how important this work is. Now adding a donation to the Tibetan Nuns Project as a legacy in my will means that this kindness and generosity will continue long after I am gone.

If you are so moved, please do the same. You can learn more about leaving a legacy to help the nuns here.

Important Tibetan Buddhist Holidays in 2025

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Here is a list of important Tibetan Buddhist holidays in 2025 plus other major dates in the Tibetan calendar.

Tibetan Nuns Project 2025 calendar, Tibetan Buddhist calendary, important dates in 2025

The 2025 Tibetan Nuns Project calendar is available through our online store at tnp.org and has the Tibetan lunar calendar, ritual dates, inspirational quotes, phases of the moon, and major US and Canadian holidays. The cost is $12 and all proceeds help the nuns.

Each year, the Tibetan Nuns Project publishes a calendar with beautiful images by the nuns. By purchasing the calendar, you will help provide education, food, shelter, and health care for over 800 Tibetan Buddhist nuns living in northern India.

February 28, 2025: Losar, Tibetan New Year

The nuns at Dolma Ling make elaborate and colorful butter sculptures of flowers and Buddhist sacred symbols to decorate an offering table for Losar or Tibetan New Year. Photos by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Losar or Tibetan New Year is a very special time of year. In the traditional Tibetan calendar, each year has an animal, an element, and a number.

This year, Losar falls on February 28, 2025. According to the Tibetan calendar, it is the start of the year of the Wood Snake 2152.

Tibetans hang new prayer flags and burn incense at Tibetan New Year. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam

The animals in the Tibetan calendar are similar to those in the Chinese zodiac and are in the following order: Mouse, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Bird, Dog, and Boar. The five elements are in this order: Wood, Fire, Earth, Iron, and Water.

Losar-related rituals fall into two distinct parts. First, Tibetans say goodbye to the old year and let go of all its negative or bad aspects. Part of this involves cleaning one’s home or room from top to bottom.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns making khapse for Tibetan New Year or Losar

Each year the nuns make lots of khapse biscuits in various shapes and sizes for Losar. These deep-fried Tibetan cookies are a staple of Tibetan New Year celebrations everywhere. Photos by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns

After that, Tibetans welcome the “Losar” or “new year” with prayers and by inviting all good, auspicious things into their homes and lives. They prepare special food such as khapse, fried biscuits, and a Losar noodle soup called guthuk. Here is a recipe for vegetarian guthuk.

At Losar, Tibetans hang new prayer flags and burn incense and fragrant juniper bows to welcome the new year. If you would like to hang Tibetan prayer flags, you can order them here. The prayer flags are made and blessed by Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India.

March 10 and March 12: Tibetan Uprising Day

Tibetans taking part in March 10th demonstrations Dharamsala

Nuns, monks, and lay people hold Tibetan flags and banners as they take part in a demonstration in Dharamsala, India to mark March 10th, Tibetan Uprising Day. Photo courtesy of the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

While not a Tibetan Buddhist holiday, March 10th is a very important date in the Tibetan calendar. 2025 marks the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising. In 1950, Chinese Communist forces invaded Tibet. On March 10, 1959, Tibetans attempted to take back their country with an uprising in Lhasa. The protests were crushed with brutal force.

Around the world on March 10th, Tibetans and their supporters remember and pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet’s struggle. An estimated one million Tibetans have perished and 98% of monasteries and nunneries were destroyed under the Chinese occupation.

March 12th, 2025 marks the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan Women’s Uprising. Following the National Uprising Day on March 10th, thousands of Tibetan women gathered in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa to demonstrate for Tibetan independence.

Read this blog post to learn more about these important dates and why Tibetans are in exile.

June 11, 2025: Saga Dawa Düchen

The most important month in the Tibetan calendar is Saga Dawa, the 4th lunar month which runs this year from May 28 to June 25th 2025. The 15th day of the 4th lunar month, the full moon day, is called Saga Dawa Düchen. Düchen means “great occasion” and this day is the holiest day of the year for Tibetan Buddhists. In 2025, Saga Dawa Düchen is on June 11th.

Saga Dawa, Saga Dawa Duchen, Important Tibetan Buddhist holidays,

Every year, during the month of Saga Dawa, over several days, the nuns at Dolma Ling Nunnery read the entire Tibetan Buddhist canon or Kangyur, the 108 volumes of the spoken words of the Buddha. Photo courtesy of the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Saga Dawa Düchen commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni. In other Buddhist traditions, this occasion is known as Vesak or is sometimes called Buddha Day.

Saga Dawa is known as the month of merits. Tibetans believe that during this month the merits of your actions are multiplied. Tibetan Buddhists make extra effort to practice more generosity, virtue, and compassion to accumulate greater merit. On the 15th day of the month or Saga Dawa Düchen the merits of your actions are hugely increased.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns reading the kangyur for Saga Dawa

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling read the Kangyur, the spoken words of the Buddha, during the holy month of Saga Dawa. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

July 6: His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Birthday

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the patron of the Tibetan Nuns Project. He turns 90 on July 6, 2025.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday on July 6th is celebrated worldwide with happiness and prayers for his good health and long life. This year, His Holiness the Dalai Lama turns 90. To mark this special year, the Central Tibetan Administration is planning a year-long celebration beginning on 6 July 2025 and running to 5 July 2026.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Geshema nuns Dec 2024

In December 2024, His Holiness the Dalai Lama blessed the Geshema nuns who had completed their year-long Tantric study program at Gyuto Tantric University funded through our Geshema Endowment Fund.

Each year on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday, the nuns pray and make special offerings of tsok, khataks (prayer scarves), and sangsol (incense offering) to His Holiness. Here’s a blog post and video of the nuns celebrating His Holiness’s birthday in 2023.

They also celebrate with games and special food such as Tibetan momos, the steamed savory dumplings that are loved by Tibetans around the world and made on Tibetan Buddhist holidays. Here is a recipe for vegetarian momos so you can celebrate at home.

July 10, 2025: Universal Prayer Day

On Universal Prayer Day nuns burn fragrant juniper boughs like other auspicious occasions, such as Tibetan New Year and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthdaytaught. Photo by the Dolma Ling Nuns’ Media Team

Universal Prayer Day or Dzam Ling Chi Sang falls on the 15th day of the 5th month of the Tibetan Lunar calendar, so it falls in June or July. This year it is on July 10th, just after His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday. It is a time for spiritual cleansing and Tibetans hang prayer flags and burn juniper twigs.

July 28, 2025: Buddha’s First Teaching

Called Chokhor Düchen, this important day falls on the fourth day of the sixth lunar month. This day is the third “great occasion” or düchen in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar. It celebrates the first teaching by the historical Buddha, named Siddhartha at birth and commonly known as Shakyamuni Buddha.

On this day, over 2,500 years ago, the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths in Sarnath, shortly after attaining enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. This event is known as the “turning of the wheel of dharma”. In Theravada traditions, this event is remembered on Dhamma Day also known as Asalha Puja and is generally marked on the full moon of the eighth lunar month. To celebrate Chokhor Düchen, Tibetan Buddhists make pilgrimages to holy places, offer incense, and hang prayer flags.

November 11, 2025: Buddha’s Descent from Heaven

Tibetan Buddhist nun praying by Olivier Adam

Tibetan Buddhist nun praying. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Another “great occasion” or düchen in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar is Lhabab Düchen. This date commemorates the Buddha’s descent from the heavenly realm, where he had gone to impart teachings to his mother, Maya Devi (or Mayadevi), who had been reborn there. She had passed away seven days after his birth. To repay her kindness and liberate her from samsara, and also to benefit the gods, Buddha spent three months teaching in the realm of the gods.

Lhabab Düchen occurs on the 22nd day of the ninth lunar month, according to the Tibetan calendar. On this day, the karmic effects of our actions are multiplied millions of times. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, people engage in virtuous activities and pray to gain merit and to mark this special occasion.

February 18, 2026: Losar (Tibetan New Year)

Tibetan Buddhist nuns offering at Losar Tibetan New Year. Photo by Olivier Adam

Losar in 2026 falls on February 18th and is the start of the Year of the Fire Horse, 2153 according to the Tibetan calendar.

Keep Track with the 2025 Tibetan Nuns Project Calendar

You can order our 2025 Tibetan Nuns Project calendar. It’s a great way to keep track of the Tibetan Buddhist holidays and all the special events throughout the year. The calendar has the dates of the Tibetan lunar calendar, Tibetan holidays, and special ritual days for Tibetan Buddhist practices. It costs $12 and your purchase helps support over 800 Tibetan Buddhist nuns and seven nunneries in India. Thank you for your support!

2024 Geshema Graduation and Inter-Nunnery Debate

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Thirteen More Nuns Earn Highest Degree

In late November, 13 more Tibetan Buddhist nuns graduated with their Geshema degrees at a special convocation ceremony in Bodh Gaya, India.

The Geshema degree is the female equivalent of the Geshe degree for monks. It is the highest academic degree available in the Gelug tradition, roughly equivalent to a PhD.

Nangsa Choedon of the Tibetan Nuns Project helps present the Geshema graduates with their certificates. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The degree, once reserved for men, was only formally opened to women in 2012. The 13 new graduates are the 7th cohort of Geshemas since the degree was opened to women. The first 20 nuns graduated in 2016.

2024 Geshema Graduation and Annual Debate Event

The graduation was the culmination of the nuns’ annual inter-nunnery debate event called the Jang Gonchoe from 25th October to 27th November 2024.

Flower petals mark the 2024 Geshema graduation ceremony in Bodh Gaya. The graduates hold the yellow hats that signify the holding of the degree. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The Geshema degree enables these dedicated women to assume various leadership roles in their monastic and lay communities reserved for degree holders and previously not open to women.

receives her degree at the 2024 Geshema graduation ceremony in Bodh Gaya

One of the 13 new Geshemas receives her degree at the 2024 graduation ceremony in Bodh Gaya. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The Geshema exams took place in the summer and a record 144 nuns took various levels of the four-year exams.

Collage of images from the 2024 Geshema exams.

Momentum is building and an increasing number of nuns wish to attain this highest academic standing. Many more nuns are saying in their introductory interviews that they want to pursue the rigorous 17-year training that precedes the four-year Geshema exam process.

Momentum is building! Chart of the Geshema exams since the degree was opened to women in 2012. No exams were held in 2020 or 2021 because of Covid.

They look to examples of Geshemas as teachers and leaders. They are inspired to follow in their footsteps. As of December 2024, there are 73 Geshemas.

2024 Jang Gonchoe Inter-Nunnery Debate

Throughout the year nuns practice debate daily at their nunneries. However, the Jang Gonchoe debate event provides essential training and practice that is vital for nuns who wish to pursue higher degrees.

In 2024, hundreds of Tibetan Buddhist nuns from India and Nepal took part in the month-long inter-nunnery debate event called the jang Gonchoe. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Once again, hundreds of Tibetan Buddhist nuns from nunneries in India and Nepal gathered at the Kagyu Monlam in Bodh Gaya to take part in the month-long intensive training in monastic debate.

Nuns practicing debate daily at Dolma Ling Nunnery. Monastic debate is of critical importance in traditional Tibetan Buddhist learning. Through debate, nuns test and consolidate their classroom learning. Photo courtesy of Olivier Adam.

Throughout the year nuns practice debate daily at their nunneries. But, the Jang Gonchoe debate event provides the training and practice that is essential for nuns who wish to pursue higher degrees.

Support Long-Term Stability

The annual Geshema exams and the inter-nunnery debate are both funded by endowments and are now self-sustaining thanks to our generous supporters.

Nuns prepare flatbreads for the hundreds of nuns taking part in the 2024 inter-nunnery debate and Geshema graduation. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

The nuns’ costs such as food and travel for month-long inter-nunnery debate are covered by the Debate Fund. Now we want to put more of our core programs on a sustainable footing with TNP’s Long-Term Stability Fund.

We are extremely grateful to the 159 donors to the Geshema Endowment, including the Pema Chodron Foundation, the Pierre and Pamela Omidyar Fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the Frederick Family Foundation, and the Donaldson Charitable Trust. We are also very grateful to all those who sponsor nuns and help them on their path.

Now we wish to put more of our core programs on a sustainable footing. To that end, we launched the Long-Term Stability Fund. Learn more and donate here.

The latest Geshema grads and Nangsa Choedon of the Tibetan Nuns Project at the Geshema graduation in 2024. Photo by the Dolma Ling Media Nuns.

Remarkable Photos from the Ancient Himalayan Nunnery Dorjee Zong

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High in the rugged, snowy peaks of the Indian Himalayas, where the air is thin but the spirit is strong, a quiet revolution is unfolding. At Dorjee Zong Nunnery, 19 nuns and also lay girls are defying the odds, embracing education, and transforming their futures. But they can’t do it without your support.

elderly Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dorjee Zong Nunnery in Zanskar

Some of the nuns at Dorjee Zong Nunnery in Zanskar are in their 90s.

Capturing the Faces of Hope

In the spring of 2024, humanitarian photographer Bryan Watt and his partner, Dr Leila Srour, visited the nunnery where they were deeply moved by the devotion and enthusiasm they saw there.

Dorjee Zong Nunnery, Bryan Watt photographs, ancient Himalayan Nunnery

There are currently 19 Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dorjee Zong — 7 older nuns and 12 younger nuns.

Since its founding in the 14th century by Master Sherab Zangpo, Dorjee Zong Nunnery has stood as a beacon of wisdom and compassion. It is one of Zanskar’s oldest centers of monastic learning, where nuns devote their lives to meditation, prayer, and education.

Education at Dorjee Zong

In 2009, the nunnery was accepted into the Tibetan Nuns Project’s sponsorship program, which supports education for girls and women. Thank you to all our sponsors and learn about sponsoring a nun for just $1 a day here.

Young girls studying at Dorjee Zong Nunnery in Zanskar

The school is known to be the best school in the area and now educates both nuns and lay girls. When Bryan and Leila visited, 22 girls were studying there. Bryan said, “All the students are eager to learn and have ambitions to pursue their spiritual education and become teachers or doctors.”

The Tibetan Nuns Project also provides textbooks, pays for a teacher and a cook, and in 2019 began a major expansion and improvement project at the nunnery.

Outside the new building at Dorjee Zong Nunnery

The younger nuns assemble outside the new building, part of the expansion and improvement project started in 2019. The nunnery also provides education to lay girls from the surrounding area.

Girls and women from the Indian Himalayas have traditionally been given far less education than boys and men. Girls’ education is often the first thing to be sacrificed by families in poverty. Our programs provide girls a chance for education that they would not have otherwise.

Without support, many of these girls would not have access to education. Not all students will take nuns vows as they grow up, but the education they receive prepares them to carve out their own paths with a curriculum that teaches both Buddhist wisdom and practical knowledge.

Bryan Watt recalls, “We were told it’s the best school in the area, better than public or private schools. The children’s passion for learning was so evident. They’re eager, ambitious, and full of dreams. We were impressed with how much they knew and were learning.”

Girls learning at Dorjee Zong Nunnery in Zanskar

Bryan Watt, the photographer, said, “Not only are these girls getting a good educational background, but they’re also learning life skills and becoming confident… There’s attention paid to all aspects of their lives — how to treat each other, how to treat themselves, and so that’s a great background for them.”

Byran said, “The kids were very enthusiastic and very obedient. Maybe they were taught to be that way. They were very grateful for the food that they ate, for every activity that they were involved in. They go to school 6 days a week.”

Tibetan Buddhist nuns reading English story books in Zanskar

The girls learn four languages: the local Zanskari language which is written using the Tibetan script, Tibetan, Hindi, and English.

Every other weekend they get Saturday off so the girls from nearby can go home and see their families.

One young nun’s story stands out as a symbol of hope. “She’s so dedicated, devout, and sincere in her studies,” Bryan shared. “Her determination set a powerful example for the younger girls, and it was a joy to witness her leadership.”

One nun’s journey. She and her mother walked at night because it was too dangerous during the day. During the day, the heat melts the ice on the cliffs above the canyons and rocks fall. They rested in the houses of relatives and friends along the way and walked only in the cold darkness.

Young nuns and lay girls alike study four languages — Zanskari, Tibetan, Hindi, and English — and learn essential life skills alongside their spiritual education. Dorjee Zong offers nuns and young girls from the local community a special opportunity for education in a region where girls’ schooling is often sacrificed.

With your help, these girls can carve out their own futures as teachers and community leaders.

The Challenges of Daily Life

Life at this remote, 700-year-old Tibetan Buddhist nunnery is simple but challenging. The nunnery is at 12,861 feet or 3,920 metres altitude. Like the rest of Zanskar, the nunnery is virtually cut off from the rest of the world during the harsh winter months.

Nuns outside Dorjee Zong Nunnery in Zanskar

When Bryan and Leila visited in early spring 2024, the main road in Zanskar was only open in one direction and only 15 cars got through that day. Snow drifts on either side of the road were 10 feet high in places so it was like driving through a tunnel..

Inside the nunnery, basic needs like water and electricity are a daily struggle. Power is limited to one hour in the morning and three to four hours in the evening. There are solar panels but they were not working during Bryan’s visit.

Older nuns collecting dung for fuel at the nunnery. Some rooms, like where the young nuns eat, have a little stove for heating and the new building has passive solar walls.

The new building where the young nuns and lay girls live and study is much more comfortable than the ancient nunnery up the hill where many of the older nuns live. The multi-purpose building has been designed to capture the sun’s heat during the cold winter months.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns and girls studying in the solarium of the new building at Dorjee Zong

In the new building, the girls have a warmer, more comfortable learning environment. During the coldest months, they study together in the solarium, basking in the sun’s warmth.

Water pipes sometimes freeze in the winter and must be unblocked.

Life at Dorjee Zong Nunnery in Zanskar washing faces and brushing teeth

Bryan said, “In the morning, it was still cold for the children to wash their faces and brush their teeth.”

The nuns are hardy. They wash their faces and hands from a bucket of water outside, even on frigid mornings. The children take showers on Sundays outside and they have a solar water heater. Once a week, the children wash their own clothes by hand in a bucket of cold water but they don’t complain.

Life at Dorjee Zong Nunnery. Young Tibetan Buddhist nun washes her dish outside in cold water

Life at Dorjee Zong Nunnery. A young Tibetan Buddhist nun scrubs her bowl clean outside using sand and cold water.

Three Vegetarian Meals a Day

The girls and women at Dorjee Zong have a nutritious diet and three meals a day. While the meals can be repetitive, especially in winter when there is limited access to fresh fruit and a wide variety of vegetables.

Thank you to those who sponsor nuns and provide food, shelter, clothing, education, and health care. We need more sponsors for nuns in India and the cost is just $1 a day.

Zanskar is sometimes called “Little Tibet”. The food there includes traditional Tibetan dishes like thukpa and thenthuk (noodle soups), tsampa (barley flour mixed with butter tea), and momos. The girls love eating chapatis.

Bryan said, “I never saw a bowl that still had food in it. In fact, they pretty much licked them. They did lick them fully because they also had to wash them.”

Thank you again to everyone who supports the Tibetan Nuns Project mission: To educate and empower nuns of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as teachers and leaders; and to establish, strengthen, and support educational institutions to sustain Tibetan religion and culture.

Young Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dorjee Zong in Zanskar adjust their robes.

These girls are not just students — they are changemakers in the making. With your help, they will grow into women who can inspire, teach, and uplift their communities. By supporting their education, you are investing in generational change.

For more of Bryan Watt’s beautiful photos from Dorjee Zong see his video slideshow here.

Young Tibetan Buddhist nuns in Zanskar by Bryan Watt

Gratitude to Bryan and Leila

Brighten Your Day With Two Slideshows from Dolma Ling Nunnery

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To brighten your day and to convey the impact of your support, here are two slideshows with the latest photos from Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute. The photos were taken from June to October 2024 by the Dolma Ling media nuns.

First Slideshow: Snapshots of Education at Dolma Ling

In October, dozens of nuns departed by bus for the holy city of Bodh Gaya to take part in the month-long inter-nunnery debate. The debate event runs from October 25th to November 27th 2024 and, at the conclusion, 13 more nuns will graduate with their Geshema degree, including one from Dolma Ling.

Debating has a vital role in monastic education and the nuns practice debate daily. Each year in September, students from the Tibetan Children’s Village in Dharamsala come to the nunnery to learn about monastic debate and to practice debating with the nuns.

Can’t see the slideshow? Click here.

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Opening up education to women and girls, particularly in conjunction with training in debate, has been transformative for the nuns. Your support gives them access to the full intellectual richness of their Buddhist tradition. Even the youngest nuns are gaining confidence and experience and they can look to the Geshema nuns as role models. This fall there was a reading competition for the young nuns plus the annual nunnery quiz competition held in the nunnery courtyard. It is always a fun event.

The nuns take classes in many subjects including Tibetan, Buddhist philosophy, English, math, and science. The academic year begins in early spring after Losar, the Tibetan New Year. Throughout the year, the nuns have exams and quizzes as they pursue their degrees. One of our current projects is to purchase two new classroom projectors and essential media equipment. Another is to make kitchen repairs at Dolma Ling.

Second Slideshow of Life at Dolma Ling

In this second slideshow, you can see snapshots of daily life at Dolma Ling including the nuns praying, making offerings, and doing chores, and cooking. There are also photos of the nuns celebrating His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday. Each year, the nuns celebrate with prayers, an essay-writing day, and their annual flower competition.

Can’t see the slideshow? Click here.

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The Tibetan Nuns Project established Dolma Ling to educate and empower nuns of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as teachers and leaders, and to sustain Tibetan religion and culture. The Tibetan Nuns Project aims to elevate the educational standards and the position of women within the monastic community.

Dolma Ling is the first institute dedicated to higher Buddhist education for Tibetan Buddhist nuns from all traditions. Currently, there are about 270 nuns at Dolma Ling. We are deeply grateful to those who sponsor nuns. More sponsors are always needed.

Thank you to all our wonderful sponsors and supporters! We hope that these photos brightened your day.

Results Announced for the 2024 Geshema Exams

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Record Number of Nuns Take 2024 Geshema Exams

The 2024 Geshema exam results are in! During the summer a record number of Tibetan Buddhist nuns took various levels of the four-year exams for the Geshema degree. Of the 144 nuns, 123 passed which is an 85% pass rate. All 13 nuns who took their fourth and final year of exams passed.

Geshema exam results 2024, geshema exams

Nuns gather eagerly around the noticeboard at Dolma Ling Nunnery to read the results of the 2024 Geshema exams.

The Geshema degree is the highest level of training in the Gelugpa tradition and is equivalent to a PhD in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. It is the same as the Geshe degree for monks but the ending “ma” marks it as referring to a woman. Until recently, this degree was reserved for men. It was only formally opened to women in 2012. This is a breakthrough for Tibetan Buddhist nuns’ education.

Nuns taking Geshema exams in 2024.

The 2024 Geshema exams were held from July 21st to August 15th at Jangchub Choeling Nunnery in Mundgod, South India. In an earlier blog we stated that 147 nuns were planning on taking exams in 2024, but several were unable to take part. The actual number was 144 — a new record.

Nuns from seven nunneries in India and Nepal took the exams as follows:
1st-year exams: 46 nuns, 30 passed
2nd year: 35 nuns took exams, 30 passed
3rd year: 50 nuns took exams, all 50 passed
4th and final year: 13 nuns took exams, all 13 passed

There has been a dramatic increase in nuns taking their Geshema exams. No exams were held in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID pandemic.

The formal graduation ceremony for the 13 new Geshemas will occur in November 2024 after the annual inter-nunnery debate in Bodh Gaya. This will bring the total number of Geshemas to 73.

Here’s a list of the Geshema graduations since women were first allowed to take this degree in 2012:

2016: 20 nuns became Geshemas
2017: 6 nuns graduated as Geshemas
2018: 10 nuns became Geshemas
2019: 7 nuns graduated at the end of November
2020: exams cancelled due to the pandemic
2021: exams cancelled for a second year due to COVID
2022: 10 nuns became Geshemas
2023: 7 nuns graduated as Geshemas at the 6th convocation ceremony
2024: 13 nuns graduating in November

The Geshemas are paving the way for other nuns to follow in their footsteps and the momentum is building. Not long ago, this increased status of nuns was almost unimaginable and we are so grateful for your support to educate and empower these dedicated women!

More photos from the 2024 Geshema exams. Geshemas and Geshes are the most educated monastics, carrying much of the responsibility for preserving the Tibetan religion and culture.

The Geshema degree enables Tibetan Buddhist nuns to become teachers, leaders, and role models. It makes these dedicated women eligible to assume various leadership roles in their monastic and lay communities reserved for degree holders and previously not open to women.

Thank you to everyone who sent good luck messages to the nuns this year! We gathered the 172 messages and sent them to South India for everyone to read before and during the exams. Here’s a sample message from Sara: “Dear Dharma sisters and sources of inspiration, May your final study be effective and may you have every kind of confidence when you take your final exams. You are setting such an amazing example for all practitioners, but I think especially for women, all around the world.”

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling depart for south India to take their Geshema exams.

Photos of nuns leaving Dolma Ling in June for their Geshema exams in Mundgod, South India. The nuns who took these photos said, “Courage, determination, and faith accompany our nuns on their exam journey.”

We are grateful to the 159 donors to the Geshema Endowment which funds the annual exams including the Pema Chodron Foundation, the Pierre and Pamela Omidyar Fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the Frederick Family Foundation, and the Donaldson Charitable Trust. Thank you also to everyone who sponsors a nun and helps them on their path.

Collage of photos from the 2024 Geshema exams. In her good luck message, Judith wrote, “I celebrate with all of you as you reach this amazing milestone in your studies. We so need monastics in the world –and especially nuns – who can teach the dharma with depth and insight. Those of us who support you from afar are overjoyed to see your many months of effort and study bear fruit. Wishing you great success in your exams!”

“Educating women is powerful,” said TNP’s Founding Director and Special Advisor Rinchen Khando Choegyal. “It’s about enabling the nuns to be teachers in their own right and to take on leadership roles at a critical time in our nation’s history.”

Thank you for your support and dedication to the Tibetan Buddhist nuns!

Peaceful Portraits: Tibetan Nuns in Focus at Shugsep Nunnery

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We are happy to share recent photos by the nuns of daily life at Shugsep Nunnery and Institute and hope they bring you joy.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Shugsep Nunnery and Institute in India

Some of the 90 Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Shugsep Nunnery and Institute, a nunnery built and completely supported by supporters of the Tibetan Nuns Project.

Shugsep, a Nyingma nunnery re-established in northern India, is now home to 90 Tibetan Buddhist nuns. We are very grateful to everyone who sponsors nuns and hope these photos help show the impact of your support. More sponsors are always needed and the cost is just $1 a day.

Summer Rain Retreat

From late July to early September, the nuns practiced the six-week Summer Rain Retreat, known as Yar Ney in Tibetan (དབྱར་གནས།). This annual retreat dates back 2,600 years to the Buddha and holds profound significance in the monastic calendar.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Shugsep Nunnery 2024

A sacred procession of nuns carrying a Buddha statue and sacred texts. The Summer Rain Retreat is a time of intensive study and practice.

The Buddha instructed monastics to stay in one place during the monsoon rains because travel was difficult and to prevent harm to the many living things that emerge in the rainy season. The Summer Rain Retreat is a time for the monastic sangha to gather, deepen their understanding of the teachings, and uphold the traditions taught by the Buddha.

Puja Summer Rain retreat Shugsep Nunnery and Institute

The nuns at Shugsep carrying sacred scriptures. Unlike Western books, the pages of Tibetan Buddhist texts are long, loose, stacked between two cover boards, and wrapped in protective cloth.

The first day of the retreat begins with a special puja. Special Vinaya vows are taken which the nuns observe throughout the six weeks. Next, accompanied by horns and other sacred musical instruments, the nuns proceed in a single-file procession.

Photos from September 2024 showing the nuns playing sacred Tibetan music during a puja. Left to right, they play the gyaling, a reed instrument, somewhat like an oboe, brass cymbals, and conch shells.

Special pujas also mark the conclusion of the retreat. These sacred rituals have been orally transmitted from teacher to disciple for generations and, thanks to your support, are preserved by the nuns.

Progress on the Shugsep Retreat Center

Work is progressing on the Shugsep Retreat Center but funds are still needed. Retreat is an essential element of Buddhist practice, but without a dedicated space at the nunnery, the nuns are forced to travel to Nepal or the caves at Tso Pemo to go on retreat.

Shugsep Retreat Center Under Construction 2024

The retreat center at Shugsep is under construction though funds are still needed to complete this big project. Fundraising began in 2022.

Shugsep is a Nyingma nunnery that traces its rituals and practice to some of the most illustrious female practitioners in Tibetan history. Fifty-nine senior Shugsep nuns now hold Lopon degrees, the highest degree in the Nyingma tradition, similar to an MA. These senior nuns are the teachers and leaders of the future and need a place to practice retreat to become fully qualified teachers and preservers of their ancient tradition.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns working on Shugsep Retreat Center

The nuns are helping with the construction of the Shugsep Retreat Center.

Funds are still needed to complete this big project! Please donate here.

Winter Robes

In 2024, the Shugsep nuns received 92 sets of winter robes. The nuns send their deep gratitude for the robes which will help them through the cold winter months.

Thank you to those who donated to purchase 92 winter robes for the nuns. The presentation of materials for robes is a powerful act of devotion and respect and is believed to have beneficial karmic effects.

None of the nunneries are heated. Shugsep, in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, gets very cold in winter. The average temperature in January ranges from 50°F (10°C) to 31°F (-0°C). The new robes will be very helpful, especially during prayers because the nuns are not allowed to wear coats or sweaters in the prayer hall as per monastic rules.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Shugsep Nunnery and Institute

Thank you to all the sponsors of nuns! More sponsors are always needed.

Preserving Ancient Wisdom Traditions

Many of the senior nuns came from the original Shugsep Nunnery in Tibet. After being expelled from their nunnery by Chinese authorities, they escaped to India to freely practice their religion.

Tibetan Buddhist nun at Shugsep Nunnery and Institute

The nuns in India are preserving Tibet’s ancient teachings and culture. Shugsep Nunnery in Tibet was once home to one of the most famous female teachers, Shugsep Jetsunma.

Every Sunday night, the Shugsep nuns practice a special ritual called Chöd (pronounced chö). It is also known as “The Beggars Offering” or “Cutting Through the Ego.”

Chod Practice Tibetan Buddhist Shugsep Nunnery

A nun hits a large drum during a puja at Shugsep Nunnery.

Chöd, which means “cutting through”, is a spiritual practice that aims at cutting through the hindrances of self-cherishing thought and ignorance. These are the greatest obstacles on the path to enlightenment.

In the Chöd ritual, practitioners visualize symbolically offering their bodies, for the sake of others, as a tantric feast to sentient beings. This is a brave way to exchange oneself for others and develop compassion, and a quick method to realize emptiness.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns carrying mani stones om mani padme hum

Young nuns carrying mani stones with the mantra “Om mani padme hum”. The mani stones are arranged along the new kora or circumambulation pathway where the nuns walk every day..

Your donations to the Tibetan Nuns Project strengthen and preserve Tibetan culture and religion – under great threat due to the occupation of Tibet. By educating and empowering these dedicated women you are creating teachers and leaders of the future. The whole world will benefit. Thank you!

A Geshema Comes to Washington

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This summer Geshema Delek Wangmo, a teacher at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute, was a special guest at Sravasti Abbey in Washington State for a one-month residency.

Sravasti Abbey in Washington State welcomes Geshema Delek Wangmo. Born in Tibet in 1970 to a nomadic family, Geshema Delek Wangmo was illiterate when she was ordained as a Buddhist nun at 15. She now lives and teaches at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute in India. Photo courtesy of Sravasti Abbey.

Sravasti Abbey was founded in 2003 by the author, teacher, and fully ordained nun Venerable Thubten Chodron. The abbey follows Tibetan Buddhism in the tradition of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It is situated on 300 acres of forest and meadows outside Newport, Washington, near the Idaho state line.

On August 11th, Sravasti Abbey held a special event with Geshema Delek Wangmo that people could attend in person or online via YouTube. You can see the talk here.

Geshema Delek Wangmo had a one-month residency at Sravasti Abbey in Washington State and gave a public talk on August 11, 2024. Photo courtesy of Sravasti Abbey.

Geshema Delek Wangmo’s story is a tale of faith, courage, resilience, purpose, and tenacity. Her public talk, in English, related to her life as a Tibetan Buddhist nun and her monastic education. She spoke about her role as a teacher of other nuns and her aspirations for Tibetan Buddhism in the future.

Geshema Delek Wangmo was one of the first Tibetan Buddhist nuns to complete the rigorous Geshema degree — equivalent to a doctorate in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy — once reserved for monks only.

This was the first trip to the West by Geshema Delek Wangmo, a Buddhist scholar, practitioner, and teacher from Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute in India. Photo courtesy of Sravasti Abbey.

Geshema Delek Wangmo’s time at the Abbey was intended to be a rich cultural and educational exchange. She practiced her English skills and helped some Abbey community members build their spoken Tibetan abilities. She learned about Buddhist monasticism in the West by attending sessions of the Abbey’s annual Exploring Monastic Life program.

Geshema Delek Wangmo at Sravasti Abbey photo courtesy of Sravasti Abbey 9

In Tibet, many nuns like Delek Wangmo did not have access to education. Her journey from illiteracy to a respected teacher has been one of faith, courage, and diligence. Photo August 11, 2024 courtesy of Sravasti Abbey.

She also offered a course in English on Buddhist Reasoning and Debate, the Tibetan pedagogical method for sharpening and deepening insight.

Abbess Venerable Thubten Chodron has long been a proponent of advanced education for Tibetan nuns and Sravasti Abbey is a long-time supporter of the Tibetan Nuns Project. While Abbey residents have had the honor to receive profound teachings from a great number of Tibetan lamas and geshes, it is a historically significant next step to also host a female Tibetan scholar to teach the Western sangha.

Saying goodbye. The nuns at Dolma Ling, where Geshema Delek Wangmo teaches, had summer exams so she was able to a break from teaching until August 19th. She helped to build Dolma Ling, one of the first Tibetan nunneries in India, brick by brick, over 30 years ago. Photo courtesy of Sravasti Abbey.

An Incredible Journey

Born in 1970 in Litang in the Kham region of eastern Tibet, Delek Wangmo was ordained at 15 with Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. Her village, Detsa, did not have a school and she spent most of her time tending animals with her nomadic family.

When she was 19, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche led her and other nuns on a pilgrimage from their home province to Lhasa, where the Dalai Lama’s Potala Palace and other holy sites are located. Not only was this a 950-mile trek through mountains, but the group prostrated the entire way. It took one and a half years.

Portrait of Geshema Delek Wangmo taken at Dolma Ling Nunnery in 2022 by Olivier Adam

However, when they arrived, the group was denied entry into Lhasa by the Chinese authorities. The journey was not wasted: along the way, she had begun her education and learned the Tibetan alphabet for the first time.

The large group of nuns headed south, eventually entering India and connecting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Varanasi.

Improving the Situation for Nuns

Unfortunately, there were few nunneries in India and no space for the new nuns. Soon, the Tibetan Nuns Project was formed and began the process of building two facilities, Shugsep and Dolma Ling, both near Dharamsala.

In 1994, Delek Wangmo and other nuns were able to move into Dolma Ling, which was subsequently inaugurated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2005. Not only did Dolma Ling provide much-needed housing and living facilities, but it was dedicated specifically to higher Buddhist education for nuns.

Geshema Delek Wangmo teaching TCV students about monastic debate Sept 2023

Geshema Delek Wangmo teaching Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV) students about monastic debate in September 2023.

In Tibet, many nuns like Delek Wangmo did not have access to education. Dolma Ling provides a 17-year curriculum, comparable to what has traditionally been available to monks. With these educational opportunities and the support of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Geshema degree was offered in 2012.

The Geshema degree is equivalent to the Geshe degree, with the “ma” indicating it is awarded to women. The Geshe degree is roughly equivalent to a PhD in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, requiring decades of study, extensive exams, and public debate sessions. The monastics who earn this degree become teachers, abbots, and other leaders within Tibetan Buddhism.

Delek Wangmo became Geshema Delek Wangmo in 2017, part of the second group of nuns to complete their exams and earn their degrees. She was then part of the first group of nuns allowed to study at Gyuto Tantric University, also a part of the traditional education for monks.

Geshema Delek Wangmo teaching at Dolma Ling 2019

Delek Wangmo earned her Geshema degree in 2017 and was hired as a teacher at Dolma Ling in 2019. She says, “Looking back to where I started and what I have achieved now is something very special in my life. I feel satisfied and relief now. When I fled from tibet I never expect such things in life that I will have
these kind of opportunity in such a good place. I would like to thanks many people who have supported me in completing my education.”

After completing her education, Geshema Delek Wangmo became a philosophy teacher at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute in 2019. In 2020, she was appointed as an election commissioner by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.

Current Need! Please help us build 16 double-bed rooms at Dolma Ling for Geshemas so that, like Geshema Delek Wangmo, they can get the advanced education they need to become fully qualified teachers of their tradition. PLEASE DONATE HERE

Celebrating 20 Years of Thiusar Magazine: A Blossoming Journey

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This year Tibetan Buddhist nuns in India are celebrating a remarkable milestone: 20 years of Thiusar Magazine, a literary publication of the nuns supported by the Tibetan Nuns Project. Since its inception, Thiusar has been a beacon of creativity and expression for the nuns, and we are delighted to reflect on its journey and growth.

In 2024, the Tibetan Buddhist nuns at Dolma Ling celebrated the 20th anniversary of the nuns’ magazine Thiusar. Detail of photo by Robin Groth

The Beginning

Thiusar Magazine started as a heartfelt gesture of gratitude to Kasur Rinchen Khandro, whose leadership and guidance have been foundational to the Tibetan Nuns Project. In the early 2000s, nuns began writing small letters and prose, which they would leave on her desk. These heartfelt notes, filled with gratitude and personal reflections, caught her attention. Recognizing the potential in their writings, Kasur Rinchen Khandro encouraged the nuns to formalize their efforts and create a magazine. Thus, in 2002, Thiusaur Magazine was born.

Growing Together

Over the past two decades, Thiusar has evolved from a budding flower into a fully bloomed one. This transformation is beautifully captured in the 2024 magazine cover design, which features a youthful flower symbolizing the vibrancy and growth of the nuns. The magazine now reflects the incredible progress and blossoming talents of our community. What started as a small gesture has grown into a significant publication, celebrated for its quality and depth.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns holding copies of their magazine

Thiusaur means “budding flower” in Tibetan. When the Tibetan Nuns Project began most of the nuns were illiterate; now they write, edit, and publish their annual magazine in Tibetan. The yellow one is the first edition and the blue on the right is the most recent magazine. Photos by Robin Groth, 2024.

Diverse Voices

The pages of the magazine are filled with essays, articles, short stories, and poems, each piece a reflection of the unique experiences and creative outlet of the nuns. The magazine is distributed annually to every nunnery and various NGOs in India, and its reach and impact are widely appreciated. Thiusar offers a rare glimpse into the hearts and minds of Tibetan nuns, sharing their journeys and perspectives with the world. The diversity of topics and styles in the magazine underlines the varied thoughts and feelings that our nuns bring to their writing.

Embracing Change

Reflecting on the early days, Venerable Delek Yangdron, a dedicated member of the magazine committee, recalls the challenges of receiving handwritten submissions and painstakingly typing each one. Today, technology has revolutionized our process. Nuns now send their writings via email, making the editorial process smoother and more efficient. This shift has not only eased the workload but has also empowered the nuns, boosting their confidence in their technological and design skills.

Tibetan Buddhist nun working on computer.

Early days. Venerable Delek Yangdron, one of the Dolma Ling media nuns and a dedicated member of the magazine committee remembers receiving handwritten submissions and typing up each submission.

Adapting to digital tools has also opened up new possibilities for collaboration and creativity. Nuns can now work together on projects, share ideas more easily, and access more resources for inspiration. This technological advancement has brought a new dynamism to Thiusaur, enriching the content and making the production process more collaborative and inclusive.

Looking Forward

As we celebrate 20 years of Thiusar Magazine, we look forward to the future with great hope and excitement. The nuns are eager to continue contributing their voices and sharing their stories. The magazine’s journey from its humble beginnings to its current stature exemplifies their dedication and creativity.

Tibetan Buddhist nuns receiving computer training in 2013. The mission of the Tibetan Nuns Project is to educate and empower nuns of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as teachers and leaders; and
to establish, strengthen, and support educational institutions to sustain Tibetan religion and culture. Photo by Harald Weichhart.

The celebration of Thiusar’s 20th anniversary is not just about looking back but also about coming together to acknowledge the collective effort that has made the magazine a success. We are immensely grateful to everyone who has contributed to Thiusar over the years — the writers, editors, designers, and supporters.